Gerdau continues firing workers in Colombia

SINTRAMETAL - the union of the workers of Gerdau in Colombia - and the Gerdau Workers’ World Council met with ministers and members of the government last week to denounce the firing of workers in different Gerdau plants and the non-recognition the union. 

 

While meetings took place in Bogotá, and Gerdau fired 3 workers in Tuta, the union did not waste time and responded. On the morning of 24 September, during the morning shift, the union called a meeting at the plant gate; buses were not allowed to enter and the traffic on the highway was stooped. 

 

The plant manager called on the union to solve the situation and committed to not fire any more workers in the Tuta plant. 

 

A meeting of the union with the Colombian Gerdau Director, Carlos Hamilton, was also planned. The union will discuss the current firings and the extension of the collective agreement negotiated in Tuta to all plants of Gerdau in Colombia. 

 

Colombian law recognizes a national collective agreement in a company when more than one plant is unionized.